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The differences between systems administrators and information technology managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a systems administrator, becoming an information technology manager takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, an information technology manager has an average salary of $119,589, which is higher than the $77,156 average annual salary of a systems administrator.
The top three skills for a systems administrator include linux, troubleshoot and windows server. The most important skills for an information technology manager are customer service, project management, and database.
| Systems Administrator | Information Technology Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $77,156 | $119,589 |
| Hourly rate | $37.09 | $57.49 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 134,500 | 108,179 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 43 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 8 |
Systems administrators are employees who oversee information technology infrastructures in the office. They are skilled information technology professionals who are knowledgeable about the company's network systems and other technology-related infrastructures. They are responsible for installing, configuring, or updating network systems, software, and hardware. They also monitor the different systems and troubleshoot any issues that users may encounter. Systems administrators manage the access of users, ensure the security of the network, and address any challenges that users may have. They conduct repairs and routine maintenance to ensure that the systems in place are in the best shape.
An information technology manager is responsible for supervising tasks for the company's network and information systems operations. Information technology managers require excellent knowledge of the information systems industry, a strong command of programming languages, and software and hardware application processes. An information technology manager reviews the performance of the IT department staff, ensuring that networks and systems maintain the highest quality and efficiency, and adjusting the specific system updates as needed. Information technology managers monitor the security of the system's database and identify business opportunities to utilize all business systems to improve the company's services.
Systems administrators and information technology managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Systems Administrator | Information Technology Manager | |
| Average salary | $77,156 | $119,589 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $100,000 | Between $84,000 And $169,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a systems administrator and an information technology manager in terms of educational background:
| Systems Administrator | Information Technology Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Carnegie Mellon University |
Here are the differences between systems administrators' and information technology managers' demographics:
| Systems Administrator | Information Technology Manager | |
| Average age | 43 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.9% Female, 16.1% | Male, 84.5% Female, 15.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 11.5% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 6.6% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 9.9% Asian, 12.7% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 11% |